wine and health

It seems there is no end to the list of benefits to red wine. One of the more interesting facets being explored is the question of how red wine compounds might work synergistically with other anti-aging behaviors to amplify the effect. We all know, for instance, that regular exercise is an important part of slowing down the aging process, but who would think of having a tipple before hitting the weight room? It’s not such a far-fetched idea according to some recent studies. Exercise, like most things that are good for us, must also be taken in moderation; too much and the overstressed muscles start releasing lactic acid and other deleterious compounds. With age the problem becomes worse, resulting in more oxidative stress which counteracts the benefits of working out in the first place! A study comparing oxidative stress in young vs old mice given resveratrol showed how this wine extract helps protect against these changes. Using several serum markers for oxidative stress, a group f...

54. Resveratrol from wine suppresses age-related decline in physical performance, at least in mice. Using a mouse prone to rapid aging, scientists have discovered that the loss of muscle mass and related diminishing of physical abilities can be countered by resveratrol and exercise. So yes you still need to exercise, but this fits neatly with other data regarding resveratrol and athletic performance. 55. Resveratrol at concentrations attainable through healthy wine drinking, increases the level of a blood vessel-relaxing molecule called NO (nitric oxide). This in turn helps lower blood pressure and prevent cardiovascular disease. 56. Resveratrol helps burn fat. We will get into the specifics of this later, but one of the more important findings about resveratrol is that it triggers the activation of prolongevity genes called sirtuins. These are normally turned on by caloric restriction, or near-starvation. One of the effects is release of fat from fat cells, which can also be acheived ...